The Bands

The normal 2 day festival usually already offers an enormous slab of quality underground metal music, but now that they decided to go all out with 4 days of festival to celebrate their anniversary (and the first edition since the pandemic) it seems like there is no end to the list of names. Still mostly black metal bands with some touches of death and doom here and there and a solid spot for the Finnish black metal scene with Azazel, Horna, White Death, Warmoon Lord, Sargeist, Satanic Warmaster, Mist From The Mountains, Chamber Of Unlight, Morgal,… But now that the borders have opened and we seem to be able to deal with having a virus around, there is plenty to be found from all over the world. Bands like Ars Veneficium, The Stone, Deströyer 666, Doedsvangr, Blasfemia, Sigh and Taake are a welcome sight to us and we can’t wait to catch their shows! Sadly Nokturnal Mortum had to give up playing at the fest with what is going on in their country, but we’re sure there will be some really nice replacements popping up still soon.

The Timing

The festival gates open on Thursday May 12 at 4 P.M. local Finnish time and the festival will get kicked off by a show of the much talked about Azazel.
Friday May 13 gates open at 1 P.M. local Finnish time.
Saturday May 14 gates open at noon local Finnish time.
Sunday May 15 is a special one with the gates opening at 10 A.M. local Finnish time with the free “Steel & Fire Event” and a special limited ticket “Sunday Bacchanal” starting at 2 P.M. besides a grab of cool extra bands.

Steelfest is one of those festivals that don’t believe in overlapping show times, so you can actually see every single band from start to finish if you so want to (and have no need for drinks or food).

The festival itself usually lasts till well past midnight and closes its doors shortly after the last band finished their performance.

The Grounds

The festival grounds are located at an old wool factory in the center of Hyvinkää. There will be an outdoor stage and indoor stage (located in the old wool factory). Bars on several spots, including at the inside stage, food trucks for your hungers (even ice cream and coffee) and both official festival merch booth and stands of labels and others offering goods that fit with the scene. Usually there is plenty of seating space and shade in case the weather gets really good.

This is the way

Hyvinkää is conveniently located 30-55 minutes north from Helsinki and Helsinki-Vantaa international airport. The venue itself is an old wool factory, which lays a gloomy set-up and atmosphere for the extreme metal bacchanal.

To and from Hyvinkää :

• 40 – 55 minutes by train from Helsinki-Vantaa international airport.
• 35 – 45 minutes by train from Helsinki main railwaystation (trains also after last bands back to Helsinki)

The Stay

You could get a hotel in Helsinki (or another city along the train tracks from Helsinki to Hyvinkää), since by now all the rooms in Hyvinkää itself will most likely be reserved.

Another option is taking a 2 or 4 day ticket with accommodation, which is situated in a local school gym hall and its classes, with a separated space for ladies if wanted, toilet and showers, 24h security. You still need to bring your own sleeping equipment like sleeping bags and so on. Address: Teerimäenkatu 4.

The cheapest option to spend the night, is getting yourself a ticket for the festival camping area, which is about a 5 min walk from the festival gates and where you’ll get 24h security a tent area of 4×4 m and toilets & showers. You bring your own tent in which you can put max. 4 people. Look on the site for the prices and to get your tickets. Address: the football field at Torikatu 18.

Grub and Booze

There is a pretty decent selection of more commercial beers, craftbeers, liquors and sodas. The prices are quite reasonable for Finland, but if you come from abroad be ready to fork over more than you would back home for a beer.

Every year there is a proper selection of food trucks as well like a Poppamies burger truck, ice cream truck, the typical kebab and makkaraperunat stand, vegan options,… There’s pretty much something to be found for everyone’s needs.

This time around on the Sunday there will be a “10th Anniversary BBQ Bacchanal” for which you need to get your separate tickets to take part in this BBQ party.

Damage and Tickets

Tickets: Click Here

Good To Know

AGE LIMIT is 18 years for all customers.

ONE ENTRANCE PER DAY: You can entrance once a day to the festival area with your ticket. Various reasons for this practice.

KEEP YOUR TICKETS WITH YOU: They do not change your festival tickets to wristbands or etc.

SECURITY CHECK: Festival security personnel will check you at the security check before entering the festival area.

CLOAKROOM: You can leave your belongings in the cloakroom INSIDE of the festival area. See “prohibited items”

PROHIBITED ITEMS: Bringing your own alcohol beverages to the festival area is prohibited. Check will be in effect upon entering the festival. You can bring one transparent, unopened plastic bottle of non-alcoholic beverage, or transparent and empty plastic bottle per customer. Max. size 1,5 litres. Security is allowed to forbid suspicious bottles. All things that can be considered dangerous are strictly prohibited, at the security personnel’s discretion. It’s not allowed to bring you pet to festival area.

PAYMENT METHODS: To buy food, drinks and official festival merch the festival accepts credit & debit cards and cash. Vendors on the festival are might accept just cash. So, cash is the king.

CIGARETTES: They do not sell cigarettes in festival area.

CAMERAS & RECORDING: Pocket cameras & cell phone cameras are allowed, professional gear only with accreditation as press/media.

FIRST AID: There is a first aid point at the festival area, which will serve during festival opening hours.

LOST & FOUND: During the festival, ask for your lost items from tickets sales booth. After the festival, all uncollected lost & found items will be delivered to the Hyvinkää police station lost property